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Thera 2.46: Culaka
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(166):Culaka Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =166. Cūḷaka= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Rājagaha, as a brahmin's son, he was named Cūḷaka. When he saw the Lord(Buddha) tame the elephant Dhanapala,1 he believed, and left the world(for monkhood). Working at his training, he lived in the Indra-sal-tree Cave.2 One day as he sat in the entrance of the cave, looking down over the Magadha 'field,' a great storm-cloud filled the sky with piled-up masses, and amid deep, lovely roars, the rain camo down. The flock of peacocks, hearing the thunder, joyously uttered their ké-ká cry,3 and 154 danced around. The touch of the storm-breeze brought coldness and comfort to the Thera in his cavern-lodge, so that with a suitable temperature his mind became concentrated. He entered the avenue of his exercise, and, discerning that the favourable moment was come, he praised his practice, breaking out in these verses: ---- 211 Nadanti morā susikhā supekhuṇā|| Sunīlagīvā sumukhā sugajjino,|| Susaddalā cāpi mahāmahī ayaɱ|| Subyāpitambu suvalāhakaɱ nabhaɱ.|| || 212 Sukallarūpo sumanassa jhāya taɱ|| Sunikkhamo sādhu subuddhasāsane,|| Susukkasukkaɱ nipaṇaɱ sududdasaɱ|| Phusāmi taɱ uttamamaccutaɱ padanti.|| || ---- 211 Listen! how the peacocks calls make the clouds(sky) ring, Fair-crested, fine their feathers and blue throat, Graceful in shape and pleasant in their cry. And see how this broad landscape watered well Lies greenery-clad beneath the dappled sky! 212 Healthy your frame and fit and vigorous To make good progress in the Buddha's rule. Come then and grasp the rapt thought of the saint,4 And touch the crystal bright, the subtly deep, The elusive mystery - even the Way Where dying comes not, too great to express. ---- And so the Thera, addressing himself, attained under seasonable conditions to mental concentration, and evoking insight, won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that reviewing what he had caused, with zest and joy he repeated those lines as the declaration of aññā(supreme attainment). ---- 1 See Milinda, i. 298 f., nn. on Vinaya Texts, iii. 247 f. 2 See Dialogues, ii. 299. 3 See XXII., n. 2. 4 Sumanassa, paraphrased by sundaramanassa yogāvacarassa. 'Come.' 'grasp,' 'touch,' are expansions of the Pali phusāhi, the last of the three verbs. The long-drawn-out Jagatī metre of the two gāthās relies on reiteration of the adaptable prefix su (Greek eu) - good, fair, well - to convey intense gladsomeness. ---- =2.5-6 166 Commentary on the stanza of Cūḷakatthera= The stanza starting with nadanti morā susikhā supekhuṇā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Cūḷaka. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted deeds conducive towards escape from the rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Sikhi, thirty one aeons (kappa) ago; on having attained the age of intelligence, he, one day, met the Master, became pious-minded and offered Chattapaṇṇi fruit to Him. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn in a brahmin family at Rājagaha when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Cūḷaka, he came of age, aptly gained pious pleasure in the Master at the taming of the (elephant) Dhanapāla, became a monk and dwelt in Indasāla cave, doing his monk’s duties. One day, seated at the door of the cave, he had a look at the field of Magadha. At that juncture, the seasonal cloud of rain with deep and sweet sound, in a hundred and a thousand layers, looking like (sannikāso) collirium crest (añjanasikhara), filled up the sky, and sent down showers of rain; crowds of peacocks, on having heard the roar of rain-cloud, became bemused with galdness and joy, released their cooing voice (kekāsaddaṃ) and wandered about dancing at this and that site. There was noe-pointedness of mind of the Thera also in the chamber of his residence owing to his gain of congenial climate (utusappāya) when his quieted (passaddha) impure (karaja) body had attained the condition of being ready (kallataṃ) owing to the heat having been removed by contacts (phassa) with the wind of the rain-cloud; (his mind) descended down to the path of mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna); on having come to know of it, he spoke two stanzas making himself put forth effort for the development of spiritual insight (bhāvanā) in the face of such facilities (kittanamukhena) as opportune time (kālasampadā) and so on. 211. “Well crested peacocks with fine feathers make their sweet cry; they are with their throats of good sapphire colour, good faces and excellent voice (sugajjino); the great earth is well grassy and the sky is well pervaded with rain clouds and coloured clouds. 212. Being in the form of excellent pre- paredness of one when good-heartedly entering upon jhāna, a good man is well self-exerting in the dispensation (sāsana) of the excellent Buddha. You should come into contact with that most excellent immortal path which is purely and brilliently bright, subtle and exceedingly difficult to see. There, nadanti morā susikhā supekhuṇā, sunīlagīvā sumukhā sugajjino means: these are susikhā (well crested) because they are endowed with excellent crests which have themselves stood up (uṭṭhitā) on the head; they are supekhuṇā (fine feathered, because of being endowed with many multi-coloured graceful and excellent tail-feathers; sunīlagīvā (good sapphire neck) because of being endowed with excellent sapphire coloured neck similar to streaks of colour; sumukhā (good-faced), because of having good face; sugajjino (well voiced) because of delightfully (manuñña) musical (vādita) voice; morā nadanti means: crested peacocks, who are good-voiced speakers (chajjasaṃvadī) made their cry releasing the sound of kekā. Susakkalā cā pi mahāmahī ayaṃ means: this great earth also is well grassy with excellent green grass. Subyāpitambu means: well pervaded and diffused with rain-water because of the condition of the impending overflow (vissandamāna) of water here and there owing to the immediately fresh rain (abhinavavuṭṭhi). There is a reading also as: “Susukkatambu” (well pure rain-water);” thus, is the meaning. Suvalakakaṃ nabhaṃ means: this etherial sky is well thunder-clouded by means of good thunder-cloud and rain clouds which have stood after having filled up the sky all around with clouds similar in colour to petals of blue lotus flowers. Sukellarūpo sumanassa jhāyataṃ means: now, with the gain of congenial climate (utusappāya) you are in good form of being ready (kallarūpo) and in natural condition congenial for doing your deed (kammaniyasabhāyo); when a good-minded earnest student of spiritual exercises (yogāvacara) is entering upon jhāna (jhāyataṃ), by way of meditation upon objects of sense (ārammaṇūpanijjhāna) and also by way of meditation upon characteristic marks (lakkhaṇa) because of the condition of his mind not being high over (ajjhārūḷha) hindrances (nīvaraṇa). Sunikkamo … accutaṃ padaṃ means: entering upon jhāna also in this manner; sādhu subuddhassa sāsane means: in the dispensation of the well self-awakened Buddha; susukkaṃ means: well bright because of the state of all round well purified moral precepts, having become one who had excellently come out; sukkaṃ means: bright because of the natural condition of being clearly pure, from not going near the state of pasture (gocarabhāva) of all forms of self-depravity (saṅkilesa); nipuṇaṃ means: subtle because of the state of sphere of subtle knowledge; sududdasaṃ means: extremely difficult to see because of absolute profundity; uttamaṃ means most excellent because of being exaulted and best; accutaṃ padaṃ taṃ phusāhi means: you should visuslise that immortal nibbāna, free from death because of the state of permanence, by means of right and proper practice (sammāpaṭipatti) and by making it yourself (attapaccakha). In this manner, the Thera, as soon as he had instructed himself, became well composed (samshita) in his mind, with his gaining of congenial cilmate, indulged himself in the development of spiritual insight and attained Arahantship. Hence it has been said in the Apadāna:– “I saw the leader of the world shining bright like the yellow Kaṇikāra flower, resembling the full moon, shinning similar to a tree of lighted lamps. Having held up banana fruit I offered it to the Master: pious-minded and good hearted I paid my homage to Him and took leave of Him. It was thity one aeons (kappa) ago, that I made my offering of fruit; I do not remember any evil existence, this is the fruitful result of my fruit offering. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, the Thera reiterated the self-same two stanzas starting with “Nadanti morā,” having become full of zest and delight after having refected upon his own proper practice (paṭipatti). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Cūḷaka is complete. ----